Jurassic World is running in theaters for a while now and it’s breaking all record. The fans had to wait long for it but finally got their sequel they’ve always dreamt of. The movie is everything fans hoped for and even more. A popular movie nowadays always comes with a game as well. Jurassic World isn’t just getting a game, it’s getting one of the best LEGO games ever created.
There’s more to the game than you might expect
LEGO Jurassic World has been a pleasant surprise while playing. The first big surprise came right after we switched on the game. Unlike what the title might suggest, this game offers far more than the movie. It includes a total of four LEGO based Jurassic experiences. That’s right, they included every Jurassic movie to date and combined it with the well-known LEGO formula. It’s a great move for sure. This ensures that you won’t get bored any time soon. Unlike other LEGO games, this one offers true value for your money. Just running trough the different campaigns will take you more than ten hours. It’s a pleasant change if you ask us!
Classic LEGO elements
TT Games already showed that they could make great LEGO games with earlier games in the franchise. So why change the formula? Some fans are always hoping for innovation but we must disappoint those once again, LEGO Jurassic World doesn’t add new features to the core gameplay. It still consists out of breaking things in your environment and building new things to advance. This typical LEGO gameplay still works but we understand that it might bore some of you. If you didn’t enjoy the LEGO formula before, this game won’t be the game changer for you. If you do like the gameplay and appreciate the cute LEGO style, this possibly might be the best LEGO interpretation yet.
Jurassic Park 2 just got good!
Aside of breaking and building, the game also features a semi open-world HUB. In this place (basically the different islands or park) you’ll be able to go wherever you want. It’s a fun way to see what your characters can do and it becomes even more fun the more you unlock. Traveling to your next destination in this colorful world is fun. Sure, it takes some of the pace out of the action but it offers some needed variation to the main quest.
Collect till you drop
During that main quest, you’ll have to fight your way trough several key moments of the movies. Most of the classic scenes made it into the game but since it aimed for a younger audience, some of the more thrilling scenes were left behind. A shame maybe but we understand the decision. You are playing this game for the story but don’t forget there’s a lot to discover besides the main adventure. Every level includes some fun collectibles.
The most-wanted collectible is the so-called ‘Amber’. This well-hidden item can only be found once in the level. Once you collect it, you unlock a playable dinosaur. Yes, you’ve read that right. LEGO Jurassic World features playable dinosaurs! These mighty creatures can be used in the free-running world but can also unlock certain special events. Collection all Ambers to unlock all dinosaurs will be high on your list while playing the game. Smart moves to make sure that you play the levels more than just one time.
The second special collectible are the minikits, if you collect them all, you unlock bones. Those bones can be used to create your very own dinosaur. A little like in Jurassic World but with LEGO humor of course.
That classic LEGO humor
Fans of LEGO games will be happy to learn that the typical LEGO humor is back once again. It is found in most dialogue but the humanlike dinosaurs also bring a smile to our face. The game uses a lot of legit sound fragments of the older movies and even features actual voice acting of the actors in the Jurassic World segments. It really works well and although most of the humor is rather cheesy, it’s still great and fun to play. If someone can turn Jurassic Park 2 in a fun experience, they deserve credit for it. Big applause goes to TT Games since they’ve managed the impossible. The made me enjoy Jurassic Park 2!
Aside of this TT Games also did a great job on bringing back classic Jurassic Park/World actors. All big actors are there of course but there’s room for some lesser-known characters as well. Remember that gatekeeper that was featured for seconds in Jurassic Park? Neither did we but we remembered him once it popped-up as a playable characters. Since there’s an insane amount of playable characters, most act the same. Women tend to jump higher while some men have some dangerous weapons to use. Each character can unlock certain paths however so coming back to older environments can only be encouraged! Best part of the characters is without a doubt their silly way of walking and talking. It’s pure LEGO magic at its finest.
Some problems
Everything we’ve said until now is very positive and the game deserves it but it isn’t perfect just yet. Sure it’s one of the best LEGO games but we didn’t like the amount of Quick Time Events. It seems like more of those events were added to the game. These events often ‘kill’ the pace of the game and result in rather boring sequences during your regular missions. It’s a shame a lot of those events will appear while playing.
Another not so good innovation are the chases. Some levels will force you to run away from the danger behind you. Since the camera sticks behind you, you don’t see the collectibles on your path. If you want to collect everything, you’ll need to replay the level. An unnecessary task if you ask us.
Conclusion
Thanks to the great voice acting, amount of characters and playable content, this is by far one of the best LEGO games to date. If you’re looking to relive some of your best Jurassic memories, this is the game to do so. Don’t be mistaken by its cute looks or LEGO license. This is fan service at its finest!
